The heavy price of being a citizen

Another NSman missing in Brunei. Coxswain Muhammad Fahrurrazi went missing during an exercise and a search party is out there looking for him. This is the heavy price paid by every male citizen and their families for the good of this island. Some still sneered at National Service as nothing to crow about. If Muhammed is not found, a family would have lost their beloved son for good, in the service of the country, paying the ultimate price even in peace. All the hopes and aspirations of a family will turn into a just sad memory, plus a few consoling words, and to bear the pain alone for the rest of their lives.

How can the people and country compensate for this unquestioned loyalty and contribution to their well being and the welling being of all fellow citizens? Can anyone who has not done his NS claimed to have contributed more than an ordinary NSman? Can any PR or new citizen know and feel the pain and sacrifices of the NSmen and their families?

Can any company or organization still think it is okay to go for CBF, go for foreigners instead of the more expensive locals while operating here enjoying the peace and security because of the NSmen? Should corporations be made to do NS by recognizing and serving NSmen, by giving preference and priority to employ them? Would the govt seriously look at the contributions of NSmen and make sure all NS are given priority to own a home for their selfless sacrifices to the country?

Instead of empty words like all first timers would get a flat, would this be put to reality? Anyone being left out, cannot own a flat after serving NS, willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the country? Any cock crowing and demeaning the contributions of the NSmen, taking it for granted? This is tangible contribution to the economy and the corporations owed it to the NSmen.

What do you think? Is $195 or $900pm adequate as fair exchange for this little aspiration demanded from the young men by the country?

The big disconnect, where got?

When ministers openly claimed that earning a few millions is barely enough to maintain their decent standard of living while some spoke with contempt about the poor wanting to eat in foodcourt, how to miss the disconnect?

When ministers expect to be paid in the millions for a life time pension but did not blink when deciding to hold back the people’s hard earned savings through all kinds of schemes, is there a connect?

When ministers made a case that $1000 pm is good enough to buy a HDB flat when they splurged several millions on several properties, could there be a connect?

When the people are gasping for air in an overcrowded environment and the elite said there is room for another few millions, how to connect?

When on one hand ministers are telling the people to have more babies but keep shrinking the flat sizes and adding on the price tags, and then condescendingly telling the people to live within their means? What do you think? Does having more babies got anything to do with being prudent or being reckless and irresponsible?

When the people are struggling at the unaffordable property prices, the ministers are claiming that it is affordable, is it a case of being connected?

When the people are screaming and shouting for change, the govt is calling for a conversation. Is there a misconnect?

Leslie Fong’s no anonymity in forums

Leslie Fong, the ST’s former editor and current senior executive VP gave his reasons for no anonymity in ST forum. All writers must identify themselves. He wanted this to extend to bloggers as well for the same reasons. I could agree with the reasons but not with the reality of its relevance at this point in time.

He argued that there must be openness, transparency and accountability. He even brushed aside the fear by employees that their employers would not find their writing to forums acceptable. In his ideal state, the openness, transparency and accountability is applicable to all sides, including those in authority. He also assumed that the employers are all fair and well informed and are secured individuals who can distinguish rights from wrongs and would stand by them. He also assumed that the govt and political climate then and now are conducive to openness and transparency. Or is it a case of demanding every critic to be open while the executioner has all the right and power to remain anonymous and to wield the axe when it deems fit?

I also encourage openness and for all bloggers to identify themselves and take their stand without fear. But this is a good aspiration at this point in time. There are a hundred and one reasons why bloggers would not and could not and must not reveal their identities. That is the reality I feel should be seriously recognized. Too much cock and bull will just be cock and bull and no one would believe in cock and bull when the truth says don’t believe in them.

I would celebrate the day all bloggers are confident enough to use their real names. It will be a sign of progress and maturity, not in the bloggers, but in the authority. Till such a day, anonymity is still needed for people to express freely and confidently.

While anonymity is still an acceptable practice in mysingaporenews, I hope bloggers would not abuse this state of affair and allow it do go down in disrepute. So far the bloggers have been quite discipline and hardly abuse this privilege of remaining in anonymity and speaking the truth without getting too wild to discredit their credibility and the quality of their posts.

All, including the govt, should work towards openness, transparency and accountability other than state secrets. And it is no good hiding under state secrets to be non transparent and not accountable. And the govt needs a lot of confidence building measures, not in words but in deeds to be transparent and to respect contrarian views. There is some progress in this area but it is still too early to tell whether the Hundred Flowers Bloom campaign is what it is.

When the people are confident that being open, transparent and accountable are the new ethos, the new normal, there is no need for anonymity anymore. The ball is in the court of the authority and employers.

A national conversation for our common future

What is the point of having a national conversation for the sake of conversation, to give the impression that the govt is willing to listen, to engage the people, when all the decisions have already been made unilaterally by the govt? It has been like that all the time to the extent that a minister proudly claimed to be deaf and do what is right rather than listening to the lunatics.

If one is to read the Sunday Times today, the same attitude is printed in black and white, the govt has decided which way to go and that’s it. ‘Get married, have babies’ screamed the headline. ‘If we go on like that, this place will fold up because there will be no original citizens left to form the majority….So the choice is simple. Either accept migrants at a rate which we can assimilate them, and make them conform to our values….said LKY. He ended his speech with the following questions. ‘Do we want to replace ourselves? Or do we want to shrink and get older, and be replaced by migrants and work permit holders?’

Can a national conversation lead to a change of this migrant policies or a conversation that leads to nowhere if the people did not want to go along with the migrant policies? Can a national conversation lead to the govt returning the people’s saving in the CPF, or the lowering the public housing prices, or the lowering of the cost of govt?

The sad fact is that the policies in place are already replacing the Sinkies with migrants, and ‘If we go on like that, …there will be no original citizens left to form the majority.’ Isn’t this fear of being replaced by migrants the major concern of Sinkies and the source of their unhappiness?

And making babies is not so simple as the govt wants to put it. How many people can really afford to bring up two babies given the high cost of living, the shrinking of flat size and high cost of flats? Any citizen that goes forth and multiplies more than two is seriously undermining the social fabric of the nation unless they are able to afford them financially. If not, there are going to be many stray children running around, half educated, half fed, and poorly brought up, to roam the streets like unwanted cats and dogs. This would pose a bigger social political problem down the road when irresponsible citizens would reply that they were doing national service as told by the govt.

What do you think?

Quote from Seah Chiang Nee

'As the public opposition grew, the pro-government media argued strongly for the players, and acting Cabinet Minister (for Social and Family Development) Chan Chun Sing congratulated the table tennis team for “uniting the nation”.

Seah Chiang Nee wrote this in his column in The Star paper.

How rich and poor countries reward their Olympians

The Olympic Games is facing a parallel contest in how countries reward their winners in addition to the Olympic medals. Poorer countries were more conservative while the rich countries were more lavish.

Poor countries like Britain and New Zealand were quite stingy on the rewards. The cheap British probably did not have much money to spare and only offered to put the pictures of the winners in their postage stamps. Really cheapskate. It is quite pathetic really for Great Britain to save on the pennies. Some poorer countries did not even offer anything and the support and Olympic medals are considered good enough a recognition. 

New Zealand could not afford instant cash but a $60k grant for a year, maybe to study or whatever for a gold medal. Australia and the USA were not much better, offering A$20k and US$25k respectively.

China was a bit richer and paid their winners a healthier S$99,500. But it was outshone by richer countries like the Philippines, $146k and Russia and the other ‘tan’ countries with payouts of US$135k to US$250k.

The richer countries like Malaysia and Singapore were more generous and their purse strings were looser. Malaysia offered $410k for a gold but is a far distant second to the richest country in the world, Singapore. The latter offered its gold medalist a handsome $1m.

Athletes and sports people would definitely find it more rewarding to represent the richer countries than the poorer Europeans or Americans. Like they say, money talks wonders. How rich a country is cannot lie. Whether they can or cannot pay their winners is a sure sign of the monetary well beings of the countries. Singapore’s open door policy on immigration is going to get a boost. If the 4 Jamaican runners were to make a queue here, Singapore can be assured of a few golds and silvers in the Rio. It is time to send some feelers out.

The mysterious utility bill hike

Many bloggers are complaining about the mysterious hike in their utility bills in the recent months, more accurately after they have a little cheap thrill of receiving $110 U Save out of the blue. The little happiness is quickly turning into a nightmare and demanding a quick explanation.

An example of the complaints is a comment by Poor Singaporean in TRE.

‘My utility bill averages around S$80-90+ a month. So far, our electricity, gas & water consumption have not varied much until July according to SP Powers.

I got a rude shock upon receiving the bill, our electricity consumption had doubled. I don’t understand how is this possible when our lifestyle still remains the same. Our electrical appliances are still new; we have just moved in to our BTO HDB flat a year ago only.

After deducting the U-SAVE Voucher of S$110, my bill amounts to S$95+. Which is around the usual range for our monthly utility bill. No savings in the end, so what’s the point of giving us the voucher?’

If what Poor Singaporean is experiencing is widespread, it must warrant an explanation from the govt and an investigation on this strange phenomenon. It could be an error that affects only a few Sinkies knowing that errors and glitches are now a common occurrence in many areas. Just hope that it is just a glitch and nothing more to it.

Was there a hike in the utilities charges that was not announced? If so, this is unbecoming and unacceptable. If there isn’t, and if the surge in the bills is true, what is happening?

CSI bloggers would be welcome to do a more thorough investigation on this matter as they are much more efficient and zealous in discovering the truth and the concerns of Sinkies. There are the only reliable and dependable investigative reporters available today. And this is a very serious issue that affects all the average Sinkies. Every Sinkie should take a close look at their utility bills to make sure that there is no error in the bills.

National Day Award

No one would want to recognize the contribution of the lunatic fringes to the progress made in nation building. No one would acknowledge their huge contributions to the state of political affairs and awareness by the people, young and old. No one would admit that because of the lunatic fringes, many policies have changed, and many things, including behavior of politicians, have changed. And no one would want to venture into the lunatic fringes to find out the feelings and views of the lunatic fringes or would want to hear them. They were the outcasts, the anti establishment, the dissidents, and worst, to some, could be seen as irresponsible insurgents lurking in the fringes, in anonymity, and needed to be put in their right places.

The contributions and results of the voices of the lunatic fringes cannot be denied. The best illustration is how they criticised that the National Day should not be seen as a PAP day and wearing all white is not inclusive. And this National Day, the PAP cabinet politicians had dropped their white priest robes and turned up in white and red, to be part of the people celebrating the National Day as one people, not one party ruling the people.

And many changes have been made and many on the way without acknowledging the causes of these changes. Without the lunatic fringes, all these changes would not have happened. Things will be as normal as before, the old normal. Everyone will be delirious.

My National Day Award goes to all the lunatics in the fringes who have contributed so much effort and time, for free, without talking about sacrifices, without being acknowledged nor appreciated, but daily hammering away at their keyboards to bring awareness to the people, to the failings in the system, about flawed policies, about the indiscretions that would have normally been swept away under the carpet or not reported. The lunatics deserved to be celebrated for their sacrifices to the Nation, with some risking career and ominous threats, and being seen as enemies, being attacked, to be watched carefully, to be taken to task when the opportunities offered. And they did what they did, for the good of the Nation, without asking for anything in return. They don’t even talk about sacrifices, and unceremoniously accepted the tag of being called lunatics.

The lunatics deserved a National Day Award from mysingaporenews. To all the lunatics, Happy National Day. Your National Day Award is priceless.

The good life shifting further away

The latest COE bidding for small cars and big cars were $73.5k and $94.5k. In the mid 90s the number hit $100k but was no sweat as many could afford them. There was a super bull run and money was everywhere. Everyone was making a killing in the stock market and everyone was spending. No one was complaining that COE prices were too high. And they said, it is not how much but whether the buyers could afford it. It was like the Fed pumping money to encourage spending.

The price of COEs today is going to be very painful for those who want to own a car or who need to own a car. There is no bull market to make easy money. Someone has intentionally killed the market. The market is as good as dead, like Bidadari or  Bukit Brown. And some jokers were crowing how clever they were to bring down the cost of trading equities. Bloody fools. The few dollars of commission were the least of concerns to the retail traders when they were making handsome profits. It is when there are losing their pants that a few dollars became an issue. The cutting down of trading cost only benefited the big funds and their high speed computer trading when they muscle in to kill the small traders. They need the little advantage to generate huge volumes to disadvantage the small traders.

The liquidity in the market is gone. The average Sinkie is quite hard pressed to move around a hundred thousand for that car. Many are tied down by high mortgages to service. Ok, exclude the politicians, civil servants and children of the rich. And exclude the few exceptions that are doing well on their own. Let’s talk about the average Sinkie, the heartlanders.

What is so wrong to want to own a car or live in a better and bigger home? Now the spin doctors are saying the quality of life is better, in having no cars and living in shoe box apartments or 3 or 4 rm public flats. Is this progress? Who is kidding? Why are people now unable to own cars and have to live in smaller apartments?

What happens to the great inclusive growth in the economy? Why are the people (I qualify, people means heartlanders. I used to call them hardlanders) told to lower their expectations and live within their means? I know of families owning a few Ferraris and Lambos and some asses would say you work harder and you can have them too. They are having a good time. But why can’t the well educated average Sinkies be looking to live in better housing like their uneducated or lowly educated parents, and own a simple car like their poorer parents?

What is happening? Aren’t we progressing? Aren’t everything getting better, life gets better? And we have so much help from so many foreigners that our parents did not have the privilege to.

What have gone wrong? Nothing gone wrong? Everything is fine? The people are told to live better and to live well they must expect less. The people are told to buy smaller flats and go without their cars. The inability to own a car may seem a non issue, like the inability to buy a better home. When the reality sinks in, the people are going to rise and protest for being short changed.

When the govt can’t even provide the average Sinkie with a decent home that is better than their poorer parents without paying an arm or a leg, and can’t even own a simple car, it is not acceptable. This is not the good life that the people want. Many are still holding on to their present car. The pain will come when they have to give it up and could not afford another one. The withdrawal symptom is going to be very painful. The bigger pain will also come in the form of unaffordable housing. The next generation is growing up and many heartlanders don’t have that kind of money to buy a $500k home. And many can forget about owning private properties though private properties were quite easily attainable in their parent’s generation.

The lousy formula of a good life is going to be torn apart as it is simply a poor alternative for working so hard, getting better educated, for wanting a better life. Where did it go wrong? Dunno leh. The govt is still so happy about this great formula, which is the govt’s version of Swiss standard of living or its equivalent.

Just wait and see how the threshold of pain and tolerance is breached. The govt still have not a clue that it has shattered the dreams of the new generation. They think that they are creating a great life for the next generation. The COE is saying this is the end of the road unless your parents happened to be politicians or very rich. The good life is not a small little flat and taking public transport everywhere.

PS. I speaking from the viewpoint of the average heartlanders.

Brief history of the Evil Empire's ( USA ) war of aggression worldwide

The Evil Empire, USA takes its intense aggressive spirit of imperialism of war of aggression from its European forebears especially from imperial Britain where it broke away violently to found its independent state of USA which originally comprised of only thirteen provinces of a total land area of less than five hundred thousand square miles. Having founded its independence violently, USA has never stopped in its violent way of life especially in its imperial war of aggression against other states or countries. So far it has got away scot free and unscarce in all its aggression and so it thinks it can continue non stop in the same path of conducting evil wars of aggression against other countries big or small.

From the very first year of its independence from Britain, the Evil Empire ,USA conducted a systematic programme of destroying the several self governing native American Indian states . It began by sowing suspicion and dissension among the several native American Indian states and goading them to fight against each other in their internecine strive. When the native Indian states were thus badly weakened the Evil Empire, USA would step in take control over all the native states. The natives realized too late the evil scheming of the Evil Empire and when they resisted the Evil Empire's encroachment and hegemony they were brutally put down . Just like its predecessors , imperial Britain, France, Spain and Potugal, USA firmly believed that the natives of the two American continents were of inferior race and did not deserve the rich lands of the new world which they claimed that their Christian God had rightly reserved for White men. After conquering all the self governing native states the Evil Empire went on a massive programme of wanton killing and genocide of the natives , claiming it was sanctified by their Christian God and their Christian religious leaders . The native population was almost entirely decimated when about ninety-eight per cent or eighty million native Americans were killed . The only sin of the native Americans was being an inferior non-white racial stock and non Christian and so they had to be killed to make place for the good and godly white men of the militant Christian faith. Subsequently the Evil Empire flooded USA with millions and millions of white immigrants from imperfial Christian Europe.

The Evil Empire did not stop its war of aggression after conquering all the self governing native American states. From 1840s to 1870s it carried out a programme of war of aggression against Mexico. Here it used a different plot and strategy. The Evil Empire purposely encroached on Mexican lands and when Mexico resisted it was accused of aggression and thus Mexico was unsuspiciously lured into a fight. When Mexico lost the war started by the Evil Empire, it was forced to surrender not less t one million six hundred thousand square miles of land comprising the present states of Florida, Texas,Utah, Nevada, New Mexico and California.

The Evil Empire's crave for other countries' lands and thirst for more conquest had not yet been satiated. It took its wars of aggression across the Pacific Ocean to attack the defenseless island kingdoms that dotted the ocean. It attacked Hawaii in 1895 and deposed its queen . After occupying Hawaii, it went on a free spree of killing the native Hawaiians for many years until the native population now comprise not more than ten or twenty percent. Finally it annexed Hawaii in the late 1950s and made it the fiftieth state of the Evil Empire. Similarly it attacked the island kingdom of Guam and after deposing its native rulers , it grabbed full control of the island. Now both Hawaii and Guam are strongly armed US military bases which will serve as a spring board for US further aggression. Its next target was the Philippines . In the early 1900s it fought a war against the Spaniards, the first European colonial master of the Philippines. Having defeated the Spaniards it occupied and ruled Philippine for many decades until after the Second World War when they were forced out by the local revolutionaries.

After the Second World War USA continued its wars of aggression against many other countries around the world. In the Americas it used its military might to depose regimes which did not support US policies of aggression and hegemony. In China it interfered in the Chinese Civil War and stationed its strong seventh fleet in the Taiwan Straits to prevent the unification of Taiwan and mainland China. It started the Korean War in 1950 to stop the unification between North and South Korea. After the Second World War, the United Nations Organisation temporarily gave US administrative trusteeship of Liu Chiu Dao ( renamed Okinawa by the Japanese ) which the Japanese took from China in 1890s and Diaoyu Dao with the understanding that the two island group should be returned to China at a later date. However, after the Korean War, the treacherous Evil Empire betrayed the UN trust for instead of returning the islands to China, it gave them to its semi-colony Japan, Thus this sinister US design was to create seeds of future dissension and strive between Japan and China.

In Europe the Evil Empire, USA provoked wars in Yugosalavia and caused the country to be divided into three separate states and eventually all came under US influence and hegemony.

Since the end of the Second World War USA has always been sowing suspicion and seeds of dissension among the Arab states in the Middle East and North Africa. It adopted a policy of divide and rule. The Evil Empire had a total monopoly of the oil business in the Arab countries. It controlled and manipulated the oil prices for many decvades . The Arabs were forced to accept payment for oil only in American dollars. The oil price was held at a ridiculous low price of Five Dollars per barrel for many decades during which time US seized the opportunity to import endless thousands of billions of barrels of cheap oil and stored them at US underground wells as reserve for future use. When Iraq and Libya refused to accept USA dollars as payment their countries were attacked and subjected to regime change. USA is now using pro USA, arab mercenaries to topple President Assad of Syria. The grand design of USA is to hold full control and hegemony of the Middle East through its merfcenaries and Israel. In doing so the Evil Empire intends to deprive its adversaries especially China of access to Middle East oil.

The Evil Empire thinks the whole of the Middle East is now safely under its sway and so it is shifting its warlike attention to East Asia and South East Asia. It is sowing suspicion and seeds of dissension among some ASEAN countries to go against China. It is trying to destabilise the whole region. In fact it has hijacked the ASEAN organisatioon and is sinisterly setting its agenda and direction so as to lead it to a head on confrontation against China. The Evil Empire is cowardly trying to make use of the Vitenamese rats and the Philippino vermins to fight its proxy wars against China. The Evil Empire is also encouraging and goading India to go against China. In the East China Sea it is encouraging its gang member and semi-colony Japan to grab the Chinese islands of Diaoyu Dao. All these Evil Empire's evil designs are geared to contain China and prevent China's peaceful development.

In addition to territorial ambitions the Evil Empire intends to control and manipulate the whole world,s economy and finance . USA is evil and its grand design of bringing the whole world under its control and hegemony should not be allowed to succeed.

The lesson from Stanchart and Barclay

Two giant banks, with world reputations to maintain, were caught with their pants down for playing dirty. And they were not the only two. Stanchart was reputed to have accepted Iran’s money to the tune of $310b when there was a sanction against it. Barclay and many big banks were rigging the Libor that undermined the integrity of the whole banking industry.

Yes, they cheated for the sake of profitability, like drug smugglers cheating with their lives. The latter faced the death sentence if caught, but they kept coming. Nothing is going to deter them from risking their lives to make money. And nothing is going to keep men in high position from their fraudulent and greedy ways to make money.

There is a saying that nobody will go into business to make losses. People will risk their necks and lives just to make money. The stock exchange is claiming how much it has cut trading cost to boost business and equity trading. Cutting cost seems to be their preoccupation and raison d’tre for a blooming stock market. There were some early gains for the exchange, but for how long? Does the cut in trading cost led to a more vibrant market or is it a corollary to the early demise of the stock market? At the rate it is going, the cut in trading cost is immaterial. The vibrancy and participation in the stock market is zilch or nearly there. The volumes reported were mostly clocked by computers. The traders and retail investors have gone into hibernation or dead.

How would cutting of trading cost help in reviving the stock market? Why was it that the market was so vibrant and the industry doing so well when trading cost was so much higher? Is there a correlation? The economists were the champion of liquidity, pumping more money into the economy to keep it growing. Why remove the liquidity in an industry that needs the commission to lubricate and pay for the jobs it supported by cutting cost, cutting the fuel it needs?



From what is happening, the lower trading cost is putting an end to the industry and it is only a matter of time before the sun set on this once lucrative and active industry. The trading cost is not a real issue in a healthy market. The trading cost is only material to those who need to capitalize on small margins and marginal cost to make money at the expense of small retail traders.

Is low trading cost a gimmick or a deadly concoction that will send the stock market to the graveyard? Many traders and retail investors are already there, dead and buried. Obviously the low trading cost did not do them any good. In fact they could be the direct victims of low trading cost.

What do you think? Still sleeping like Rip Van Winkle?

Pang Yingfen - The “heroine” of Henderson Road

‘In June 2010, she helped 13 needy households pay more than S$10,000 in expenses. Now, she has helped 60 needy families pay more than S$30,000 in utility bills, expenses and rent.

One of these families had an outstanding utility bill of S$8,500, and water and power supply have been cut for some time.

The “heroine”, Ms Pang Yingfen, was particularly concerned when she met the family. The golf club membership agent has been actively involved in charity work for the past 20 years, Lianhe Wanbao reported….’ Copied from Insing.com.

Among the families helped was one with 12 children with the oldest aged 14 and the youngest in nursery. The parents are in prison and the utility bill was $8,500. There are people in very tough times and there are very kind people out there who are living angels to those that need help. Pang Yingfen works with a group of helpers who are doing their part to help the less fortunate. Bless the samaritans and the people in need.

A medal of contention

Feng Tianwei and the women table tennis players were battling their guts out at the Olympic Games representing Singapore. Feng has won the much awaiting Olympic medal for the country. No one is denying the effort and hardwork the table tennis players have put into the games for the glory of Singapore. Yes, Feng won and another medal from the team event. It is time for celebration to welcome our Olympic medalists home after a victorious outing.

What is unexpected and uncalled are the vibes, anger and unhappiness expressed by some Sinkies. Some said there was nothing to celebrate, some said they were ashamed of the medals, some even worst.

The medals were to do us proud, and to happen just before the National Day is opportune to be a reason to stimulate more patriotism and pride of being Singaporeans. But this is not going to be, at least in a large section of the population. For those who disagree with this buying of foreigners to win sports medals, hope they should not take it out on the players. They are just sports people, playing their sports, their profession. They are not politicians and only doing their job, to make a living. Spare them the personal attacks and let them enjoy the fruit of their labour.

The key issue is the scheme that led to these contentious medals. Is it worth it, to spend so much to bring about a hard fought medal only to be met with so much criticism and division among the people? Is it something the people wanted or something the govt or a few individuals wanted? Or is it a medal that we can do without?

This National Day may be time for reflection on this national glory and the justification for it. A medal for contention in the Olympics or in the world arena is not really the same as a medal of contention among the citizens of a country. I think it is money not worth spending.

Would there be a rethink as to how to continue down this contentious road of division. No need to say it was a mistake. Just do what Boon Wan did on the housing policies. Keep doing what is right and overturn whatever is wrong. He still has a lot of stones unturned as the damage against the people is severe and the lives of many were aversely affected, including delaying marriages and not giving birth to babies. Shit, who wants to make babies when there is no roof over his head? And when is the price of 99 year lease flat coming down? They cannot go up forever as the lease must surely expire. Is this another gimmick, that the price of a 99 year lease flat will continue to appreciate forever?

By the way, spend that kind of money for the medals, is it prudent and spending within our means? I think with so much money around to splash, it is definitely within our means to do so. What about being prudent?

6 Sikhs killed by gunman in Wisconsin

6 Sikhs were shot by a gunman in a temple in Wisconsin on Sunday 5 Aug 12. In the land that prides freedom in anything and everything, freedom to practice religion included, freedom to own guns, hate killings because of skin colour is still common in the USA. Many of the killings and racist bashing of coloured people in the US go unreported. Last month a Sikh taxi driver was beaten and last year 2 Sikhs were shot dead as reported by AFP after this latest shooting.

The hate crimes committed by the white Europeans are pervasive and happened in all continents, in Europe, UK, Australia and New Zealand. It is very rare that hate crimes were committed by coloured people against the white Europeans anywhere. The good thing is that coloured people often regard the white Europeans as gods, as people who championed human rights and equality, and they love and worship them. Unfortunately the white Europeans have this deep seated hatred for coloured people and this would surface at the slightest provocations or irritations. In the US and Europe and many white dominated societies and countries, there exist many extremist racist supremacy groups that are targeting at coloured people.

Let’s hope that the coloured people will take such hate crimes in their stride and live harmoniously with the white extremists in their midst. Don’t antagonize them, integrate with them, try the pacifist way of Gandhi, turn the other cheek, and there shall be peace all round.

But please, don’t call the white European racists. They are the most peace loving people in the world. They only take to shooting or bashing coloured people once in a while, maybe high on drugs or after a movie like Batman. They did not know what they were doing. Make love to them and they will love you in return.

PS. The killer was identified as Wade Michael Page, a war veteran. I am assuming that he is a white American. I may be wrong as I do not think this is an act of a coloured American.

What’s the real problem?

Khaw Boon Wan made the statement that he believed all the first timers who wanted to apply for a BTO flats in non mature estates would have a chance to do so. Is this statement comforting? At first glance it is like saying all those first timers who applied would get their flats, but no. Actually Boon Wan was talking about the chance to apply, nothing about getting the flat. Why is there a need to say this? Any first timer can apply if they have not been kicked out of the system.

This is like saying the NPark needs foldable bikes and foldable bikes are lighter than non foldable bikes. Anyone disagreeing to these statements, or are these the concerns? What are the real issues in both flat applications and the Bromptongate?

What about those first timers that have waited too long because of the cutting down in building flats and ended being kicked out of the scheme when while waiting, their income exceeded HDB? Many young people fell victims to the mismanagement of housing programmes then. They were simply told to empty their savings to buy private.

Now Boon Wan is discouraging them from applying for the 50 year loan gimmick. So what should they do, cannot apply for HDB and not advisable to apply 50 year loan? But the young people don’t really have so much money to splurge. So, would Boon Wan undo the mistakes of his predecessor and allow all the young people that were affected by the arrogant policies to buy a public flat, to be prudent and buy within their means? Just because some jokers said public flats are affordable, so it is affordable? Or just because some jokers decreed that you earn so much you must be able to afford private properties?

What do you think?

After 46 years, still a child

Come next week the nation will be celebrating its 47th birthday as a child that refuses to grow up. The recent bashing of adults for commercial sex which in many mature countries would have brushed aside as a normal human failing and quickly forgotten is a case in point. Why such a big hooha and such a big issue and imprisonment? Are we morally so high up in the clouds that it is necessary to take such a strong view against some indiscretion when no one was hurt in a willing buyer willing seller commercial transaction?

Now we are hearing minister unable to go to sleep because of the bad things being said in the net and children are affected. And there is a need for a code of conduct for bloggers. Is blogging so different from any other pursuits in life that a separate code of conduct is needed? Or is any misconduct that is unacceptable or criminal in blogging not cover by the law? Some terminologies and peculiarities may be new to old verbiage, but these could easily be covered by some amendments to existing legislations and there is really no necessity to reinvent the wheel.

How about a blogging code like the Highway Code and bloggers must sit for a test before being allowed on the net? Come off it. The net is real. This is what the real world is, with a bit of pungent smell now and then, but not life threatening. The life threatening part would definitely be covered by the law and people affected would be protected by the law. The sanitized main media is an artificiality that is good in its own ways like speaking proper English. Speaking Singlish is not an offence. A little indiscretion in the net is a true reflection of life and it is better that children get use to them quickly and grow up quickly. And this growing up process should similarly apply to adults as parents and as regulators.

Is the situation really that bad that a code of conduct is absolutely necessary or is it a case of nothing better to do? What is there that normal ethics and good manners do not prescribe or the law does not cover? There are certainly serious violations in the net, like obviously scam jobs, spamming, spreading viruses etc that should be stopped but everyone closed their eyes so wide that they could not see the harm they are causing. Now we are so worried about what, a little verbal diarrhea, a little vulgarity, a little bullying?

What is the problem that cannot be handled with existing social norms, ethics, morality and the legislation that people are so restless about? Isn’t it time to grow up or nanny is still having an obsessive urge to be over protective? Is this a kind of bipolar disorder or fetish behavior? Do we need COC for cycling in the park or playing football in void decks as well? Or do we need COC for visiting dance halls or discos? These are definitely more dangerous places than visiting the net.

George Lim – SGX/SIAS wrong…

A letter by George Lim the the ST forum warned that it was wrong for SGX and SIAS to encourage the heartlanders to play the stock market. He reckoned that the heartlanders cannot afford to lose compare to the rich. And good shares are beyond them as there are too expensive. And with the rich and well informed also losing in the market, what chance do the heartlanders have to get a decent return in the market?

The first concern is easier to deal with. Just encourage the heartlanders to trade in derivatives. These are cheap and low cost trading instruments for the cheap heartlanders with not much to lose. And all it needs is to educate them on these instruments, hold more talks to equip them to trade effectively and successfully against the proprietary traders and fund managers.

Another area to educate the heartlanders is high speed computer and algo trading. SGX and SIAS may want to make it known to the heartlanders how these two mechanisms work and how they advantage or disadvantage the heartlanders. This is an important disclosure to the innocent heartlanders. They must know who and what their competitors are doing and whether they have a fair chance against the big funds and their trading machines. They must tell the heartlanders that SGX is providing a fair and level playing field for them to trade and their investments are safe in such a safe and fair system.

If I can remember, no one has ever come out to explain how high speed computers and algo trading can affect the small traders. Whose responsibility is it to keep the small investors educated and informed to protect their interests? Or the high speed computers and algo trading are just neutral and innocent mechanism that the small investors have nothing to worry about? In that case, there is no need to keep anyone informed. But if they could be as dangerous as toxic notes and minibonds, then the public and small investors must be duly informed and educated, and caveat emptor will then be more meaningful. Failing to keep the small investors informed of the dangers of these trading mechanisms and to fall back on caveat emptor is unjustifiable and unacceptable.

Have SGX, SIAS and MAS done enough to educate the small investors, particularly the heartlanders before they put their money into the system?

Our govt has delivered…the Olympic medal

The people’s cry or yearning for an Olympic medal must have reached the govt’s ears through the feedback channel. And the govt has worked very hard for the people, to bring a medal to satisfy the people and make the people feel proud as a nation. And the govt has succeeded, just like the Swiss standard of living. Once the govt has promised, it will deliver.

This National Day the people will have another reason to celebrate, to feel proud as Singaporeans. The table tennis team has done us proud. And they could bring another medal in the ladies team event to make two if they have not lost to the Japanese in the semi final.

At the National Day Parade many Sinkies would likely be asked if they want more medals and to kee chiu. The govt would definitely want a confirmation from the Sinkies and if the answer is a resounding yes, more elaborate plans and budget would definitely be in the works for the gold medal in the next Olympic in 2016.

Those who want gold medals must kee chiu. I think even without a show of hands, the govt already got the answer it wanted and would be working towards it. The feedback machinery must have told the govt that the people want more medals and better still a gold medal to do us really proud. What ever the people asked and wanted, the govt is listening and will deliver. And don’t forget the World Cup.

Be prudent and spend within your means

Khaw Boon Wan has again repeated the call to the people to spend within their means when buying a home, He even pointed out to the 50 year housing loan offered by the banks as a gimmick and discouraged people from taking it up. He also reiterated that he would continue to build more flats to cater for those who have been badly affected by the cock policies of his predecessor. Many have been caught without a flat caused by the curtailing of the building programmes and ended seeing their salaries exceeding the HDB ceilings and thus no longer qualify for public housing. This is the group that are being forced into the private market with income that appeared to be high but would be precariously stuck with a huge housing loans should they buy private. Was his predecessor concerned about being prudent and not spending beyond their means?

Now, would Boon Wan go all the way to undo the damages and harm that his predecessor had caused to the young home buyers and undo the wrongdoings by allowing those affected a chance to buy public housing? Forcing young people to buy their first home from the private sector is simply wicked and definitely contrary to what Boon Wan said about being prudent and spending within their means, not over extending themselves on a big mortgage to service for 30 long years.

Let’s see if Boon Wan would walk the talk and do the necessary to help the young people buy their first home after falling victims to his predecessor’s bad policies. Or would it be another case of ‘It happened, what to do?’

The making of another tragedy

The govt is going all out to convince the people that bigger and bigger population is good for the country and people, more lively, more alive, richer, vibrant and prosperity for all. And for the sake of this glorious future, Sinkies are encouraged to have babies for all the wrong reasons. The primary reason is economics, to support the ageing population.

When the reasons for having babies do not include whether the parents want the babies, love to have babies, can afford to have babies, it baffles the logic of any reasonable and caring man. How responsible it is to ask people, with no regards to their emotional and psychological needs and financial ability to go and make babies?

Babies that are born not out of parental love and needs but to serve the country and nation are simply the products of a tragedy, a misguided logic for their existence. And this tragedy or pain is hundreds of times more than the two years of NS and 20 years of reservist liabilities. The commitment and responsibilities, including having the money to give these children a decent life, start the day they are conceived and would not end till they are financially independent. What about those who are not gifted to struggle successfully in this highly competitive city? Who’s responsibility to provide for them?

It is not a joking matter that can be talked about carelessly. It is a very serious commitment on behalf of these babies that do not asked to be born. The govt are committing these babies by coaxing their parents, to shoulder the welfare of the older population and the country. Would anyone want to bear such a huge responsibility as the reason for his birth into this world? They are already indebted, heavily indebted to the oldies and the country. The oldies are waiting for them to be born to support them. They are not the loved child, to be born to enjoy living and to start life with a clean slate, but with debt already piling up for them. And the current generations are waiting for them to carry on their shoulders.

How tragic can things be? Who is going to pay for their growing up expenses and needs, and to prepare them to shoulder these heavy burdens not of their own doings?